Not All Who Wander Are Lost
by CanisHeroine
Summary: She remembered that night clearly. Probably much more so than any normal five year old should. Despite what other people said, she knew it wasn't his fault. So, rather than shun him, she decided to protect him.
1. Prologue

**I'm sure most of you know who this quote is from, but for those of you who don't, it was J. R. R. Tolkien. **

**Right now, my story is still a draft, but I felt the need to get it out. Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. Also, I created the picture using Rinmaru Games' Mega Anime Couple Creator, so credit goes to the creators of that games.**

Prologue

She remembered that night clearly. Probably much more so than any normal five year old should. Her parents became tense and guarded in a way she had never seen. They told her to stay in the house as they left to join all the other adults passing through the streets.

Curious, but not wanting to disobey her parents, she climbed the stairs and made her way to the highest window. It looked out over the other rooftops to allow her to view the fighting in the training grounds.

For a minute, the large, powerful beast mesmerized her as it struck down dozens of villagers. Its angry growls, however, startled her and tears formed in her eyes. Orange and red licked at the corners of her vision, but unconsciously, she knew it would not reach her. Black clouds floated up into the sky, stinging her eyes and throat.

Another red, much darker, permeated the air as it radiated from the beast. This red was much scarier than the red on the rooftops and growls that she could hear.

The chaos was disrupted as another large beast appeared. She couldn't remember what they were called, but she had seen similar creatures in and around the pond in the park. A lone figure stood atop the huge creature, and she could see he was holding something.

Not long after, the figure disappeared, probably into the forest below. The second large beast left soon after, leaving no trace it had been there.

She continued to watch despite not truly understanding what was going on. Eventually, there was a flash, and the giant creature that had terrorized the village was gone.

She just sat at the window, hoping to see her parents make their way back to the house. She waited, but there was no sign.

She heard a knock on the door, so she scrambled down from her sitting position and opened the door. There stood one of her parents' friends. He looked at her with sadness, tears trailing down his cheeks. "I'm sorry," his voice was a hoarse whisper. "Your parents are gone, and they're never coming back." She was not so little that she didn't understand the concept of death.

A child's devastated wail joined the chorus on that early morning of October 10th.


	2. Chapter 1

**I forgot to do a disclaimer earlier, so I don't own Naruto. I do, however, own the plot and my own characters. **

**Feel free to provide any constructive criticism or any ideas and I'll see what I can do. Also, feel free to point out any errors in terms of canon information or grammar. **

**I also haven't decided whether I should pair my character with anyone else, so there's a poll going on! You can vote for more than one character, but cannot vote for the same character twice unless I specifically say otherwise.**

**Obviously, you don't have to read my story if you don't want to. If you want to read it, feel free to enjoy or point out something that you don't like and I'll look into it.**

**Now on the show!**

Chapter 1

Hiroko Taketa slept through the rest of the morning and well into the afternoon. Around 3:45 she was awoken by a knock at the door. Rubbing her eyes, she opened the door to find her parents friend. She didn't know his name. She didn't relay know him either, and wasn't very attached to him, but he was still his parents' friend.

He looked at her with a saddened and almost guilty expression. "I'm here to take you to the orphanage. Pack your stuff into a bag and then we'll go."

"Why? Why do I have to go? Why can't I stay with you?" Hiroko didn't understand. She didn't know what this orphanage was, but she did not want to go.

"I can barely support myself, let alone a child. It would be better for you if you stayed there. The people there are nice and will take care of you." He paused before speaking again. "Once you're old enough you will be able to come back and claim all of the stuff that your parents left you."

Hiroko finally agreed. She grabbed a large bag from the closet and ran upstairs. She shoved all that she could inside it, including clothes, books, and a few pictures of her and her parents. Hiroko grabbed a necklace that held a locket a gold ring. They had been gifts from her parents for her fifth birthday. She plays the chain around her neck and maneuvered the charm under her shirt.

Satisfied with her packing, she went back downstairs again to find the family friend still waiting for her. He stood at her silent confirmation. The man let her outside and started to walk down the path. She glanced back at the house knowing that it would be the last time for a long while that she would see it.

* * *

The two passed by the village Square, overlooked by the Hokage Tower. Standing on the balcony was the Third Hokage, holding a bundle of blankets wrapped around something. Hiroko pauses to listen to what he had to say.

"This is Naruto Uzumaki," he said. She could see the head of an infant in the bundle. "He is the container for the Nine-Tailed Fox. I have declared this an S-class secret. No one may speak of this event with anyone who does not already know."

"Hiroko, come on." She was tugged by the cloth on her shoulder. "We need to keep moving. Just a little farther." Hiroko staggered after him, not wanting to be left behind but still curious about the Hokage's announcement.

When they arrived, Hiroko forgot all about the Hokage. The orphanage was a relatively old building, made almost entirely of wood. The finish had worn away from years of weather and there were scratches all along the surface. The front had a small clock tower with stairs leading up to the door underneath.

"You'll be staying hear until you're adopted, but I'm sure you'll find a new, loving family in no time." Hiroko listened to his words and paused. New family? She didn't want a new family. She wanted her mom and dad. Tears pooled in her eyes at the thought of never seeing them again.

"Let's go inside." Hiroko didn't fight him as he led her in.

The inside of the building was a little nicer than the outside, but not by much. The floors were nicer, with few scratches, but the walls were marred by small handprints. The air had a light musty smell, mixed with the scent of pines and a hint of cinnamon.

A young woman walked out and greeted them with a smile. "Hello! How may I help you?"

The man placed a hand on her shoulder. "This is Hiroko Taketa. Her parents were killed in the attack last night."

She pursed her lips. "Ah, yes. We've gotten several children today because of it. I only hope some kind people will be willing to give them a new home."

The man only nodded. "I should probably be leaving." He turned and did so.

The woman perked right up and clapped her hands. "Well! Let's get you settle in. My name is Mika. I hope you'll do well here." She held out her hand for Hiroko to take. The girl did so, and was gently directed to her new room.

**I know I wasn't specific about the parents' friend, but he isn't an important character. He probably won't even show up again. Tell me what you think about the characterization, how could I improve, what did I do well, that sort of stuff. **

**Naruto will show up in the next one, so hold onto your hats, folks. **

**That's it for now!**

**CanisHeroine signing out!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Wow! Three chapters in one day! I think that's my new record! **

**This one is much longer than the previous chapters. Sorry the others were so short. **

**I hope I'm doing well with characterization. It's a little difficult writing from the perspective of a five year old. If you have any advice or questions, or anything feel free to comment or pm me.**

**Any ideas on pairings for Hiroko?**

Chapter 2

Hiroko glanced around the room. Surprisingly, it was only a two person room, rather than quad room or something like that. There wasn't even a sign of another person in it.

She looked back at Mika, who smiled gently at her. "You'll have room all to yourself, at least for a while. Go ahead and unpack. I'll wait outside."

Hiroko stepped farther into the room. There were two twin beds, one in each corner of the far wall. She put her bag down on the left bed before pulling out her clothes for tomorrow. She shoved the bag under the bed and left the clothes beneath the thin pillow.

Hiroko didn't want to unpack everything, in the minor hope that someone would come to take her away. She knew it would be unlikely, but still held on.

The girl left the room, and saw Mika standing across the hall like she said. The woman smiled once more as she spotted Hiroko.

"Ready?" Hiroko nodded. A sudden growl reminded her that she hadn't since the night before. Mika gave a quiet giggle as Hiroko blushed. "Oh, it appears you haven't eaten in a while. I'll take you to get some food before you meet some of the other kids."

Mika showed Hiroko the way to the kitchen. They looked at the options before Hiroko picked out some rice balls and milk. Mika kindly handed the food to the girl. Hiroko thanked the woman before taking a bite.

She had barely swallowed the last of her food when a sharp, demanding voice cut the air. "Kikuchi! What are you doing here?"

Mika whirled around and immediately bowed to the older woman. "Ikeda-sama, I was just helping this hungry girl!"

"You know the rules! No food between the allotted times!" The older woman was ruthless. It was almost disrupted by the fact that she held a baby. Almost.

"I know, I'm sorry, but she hasn't eaten all day!"

"Don't give me excuses." The woman growled. "But never mind that. Kikuchi, take this demon away from me." She held the baby in a rough manner, away from her body.

"Hai, Ikeda-sama," Mika bowed before tenderly taking the infant from the older woman. She pushed the blanket away from its face, and fear overcame her features. Mika's eyes flicked to Hiroko and she swallowed before steeling herself.

"Get it out of my sight." The woman waved them away flippantly.

"Come on, Hiroko. We should go." Mika told the young girl. Hiroko had been watching, trying to understand what was going on. Why was the woman so mean? Why did Mika become scared when she saw the baby? She couldn't answer her questions. Instead, she settled for listening to Mika's request and walked away from the kitchen with her.

They walked back to Hiroko's room. Mika placed the baby on the right bed, allowing Hiroko to finally see him. It was a baby the Hokage had announced. What was his name again? Nato? Noru? Naru-Naruto! That was it! It was the baby Naruto.

His blonde hair contrasted her own red, and he looked at her with curious blue eyes that reflected her own green ones. She reached out and brushed his cheeks, fascinated by the lines on his face. She could feel just a slight difference between the skin and the marks. At her touch, the boy gave a happy gurgle.

So occupied with Naruto, Hiroko hadn't noticed Mika pull the crib into her room and push it against the bed. She didn't know what it was called, of course, but she did know it was meant to hold babies. Mika picked the blonde up and moved to place him in the crib. Somehow, he managed to snag an end of her brown, shoulder length hair. He tugged on it playfully, unaware of the mild panic Mika was experiencing. She hastily, but still gently put the infant in the crib and pulled her out of his grasp. It didn't seem to phase Naruto one bit, as he continued to smile at the young caretaker.

Hiroko had noticed Mika's fear, which confused her even more. Why was she scared of a baby? Was it because of that Night-Tail Fog or whatever it was called? She intended to find out.

"Mika-san?" Hiroko tugged on Mika's yukata, getting the woman's attention. "Why are you scared of him?"

Mika looked surprised. "How did you know I-?" She cut herself off. Over her time at the orphanage, she had noticed many of the kids were much more in tune with emotions than one would think.

"What could he do? He's just a baby." Hiroko could see that her words had an effect on Mika. The woman thought over it for a few seconds before smiling.

"You're right, he is just a baby. He didn't do anything wrong. Thank you for showing me that."

Hiroko didn't know how to reply, but she did have one more question. "Was it because of the Night-Tail Fog?"

Mika chuckled. "It's called the Nine-Tailed Fox," She said the words slowly, enunciating to allow Hiroko a better chance to hear the name correctly. "And yes, it's why I was scared. It scares a lot of people because of what it did yesterday."

Hiroko shivered as she remembered the previous night. "But it was that thing. Naruto had no choice."

"That's true, and you showed me that. Thank you, Hiroko." The girl mumbled something quietly. "What was that?"

"You can call me Hiro. My parents did." She said loud enough for Mika to hear.

"Alright, then. Hiro it is."

* * *

Naruto had fallen asleep, so Mika took Hiro to meet the other kids. They entered a large room to see dozens of kids, ranging from the ages of two all the way to seventeen. It was loud, as many of the younger kids were shouting and squealing as they played. The older kids were more quiet overall, but there were still a few loud ones. There were toys of all sorts, from building blocks, to stuffed animals. A few meager art supplies were scattered about. In the far right corner we're several shelves, full of books. There were also only a few kids there, all of them older than her by a few years.

Hiro walked to the book section right away. She looked over some of the titles before realizing they were much too advanced for her. Shuffling to the other side, Hiro saw that the books there were much easier. She pulled out a thin one with a gold spine, then a similar one next to it, then the next.

In all, she collected about eight books to read. She tilted her head, looking at Mika upside down. "Can you help me read these?" She asked. Mika nodded and moved to sit down next to the little girl.

For the next half hour, the two worked on Hiro's reading, while Mika helped her sound out words and explain what certain things meant. They in the middle of the third book when Hiro let out a large yawn.

Despite having slept for most of the day, she was still tired from all the excitement. Mika gave a little laugh. "Looks like you're tired. How about we start again tomorrow?" Hiro nodded.

"Can I bring the books to my room? I want to practice reading more."

"I don't see why not. Since you've already eaten, let's get you to bed."

Mika picked up the sleepy girl and the eight books before leaving the playroom. She carried Hiro into the bedroom and carefully, quietly put her under the sheets. Almost inaudible breaths escaped the girl as she slept. The books were left at the foot of the bed.

Mika checked on Naruto, and found him still asleep. Satisfied, she turned off the lights and left the room.

Later that night, Hiroko woke to the sound of crying. Naruto's shrill wails echoed in her ears, and forced her to alertness. She rubbed her eyes and crawled out of bed. Hiro made her way to the crib and climbed onto the bed, allowing herself to see him in the moonlight. She tried to shush him, but it didn't make a difference.

Hiroko checked Naruto's diaper, but there were no odd smells, and he had had a lot of sleep already, so it was that he was tired. That only left one option. He must be hungry.

She stuck a finger in his mouth in an attempt at quieting him. He clamped on and began to suck on it. Then she carefully pulled him out of the crib, struggling to maintain her balance and not disturb the baby even more. Hiro successfully got him out and slid off the bed. She silently slipped out of the room and down the hall, not even causing a single creak on the wooden floor. Hiroko only took one wrong turn on her way to the kitchen.

Hiro shivered as her bare feet padded on the cold tile. She stopped to stare up at the refrigerator door. A determined look settled on Hiroko's face. She shuffled Naruto into one arm, grabbed the bottom of the door handle, and tugged with all her might. Her efforts proved to be useful as the door swung open. Hiro stumbled back, barely catching herself before she tumbled to the ground.

Hiroko smiles with triumph when she spotted the baby bottle on the bottom shelf. It was well within her reach and she soon held it in her grasp. Hiro pushed the door closed with her back while gently removing her finger from Naruto's mouth. She placed the bottle cap against his lips and watched as he grabbed ahold. With that, she took off for their room once again.

She continued to hold Naruto, even in the room. The silver moonlight washed the two and calmed the girl. When the bottle was about halfway full, she pulled it away from him. There was no protest like she expected. Hiro found her body moving on its own to hold Naruto against her shoulder and pat his back. He let out a burp and she nodded to herself in satisfaction.

She crawled onto the bed before putting Naruto in the crib. She hovered her finger over him. He happily batted at it, then grabbed it with his stubby fingers.

"I'll take care of you. Even if no one else is, I'll always be here for you. I promise." Hiro told the boy, fierce determination burning in her eyes and her heart. A large yawn passed through Naruto's lips and was mirrored by her own. She let her eyes close, finger still held by the younger child.

And if Mika came by a few hours later to see the two still sleeping peacefully, she left with a smile and not a sound.

**Tomorrow I'm leaving to go on a trip to Iceland for ten days, than I'll be going to an important horse show for a another week, so I probably won't be posting chapters for a while. I will, however continue writing whenever I can. I can't wait to see how it turns out!**


	4. Chapter 3

**Hey, I'm back! Sorry I took so long, I had a ton of stuff going on these past few weeks. **

**New chapter! Yay!**

**Overall, they're probably going to stay within a few hundred words around two thousand(2,000).**

**Now have fun and read!**

* * *

Taking care of Naruto became Hiroko's top priority. Whenever she noticed he needed something and none of the caretakers would help, she took it into her own hands. Hiro would ask if she could help Mika with the other babies, making sure she knew what to do when Naruto needed something. When he was hungry, she got him food; when he soiled his diaper, she changed it; if he was tired, she put him to bed.

Before she knew it, three years had already passed. Naruto had spoken his first words, had taken his first steps. Hiroko was still trying to get him to start learning to read, but it didn't seem to be happening any time soon. He did have fun when she read to him, however.

Hiroko herself was now eight. She was entered in the Shinobi Academy, having passed the entrance exam with flying colors. She would be starting the next day, but for now, she was she was determined to get out and spend some more time with Naruto.

"Mika-san?" Hiro got the woman's attention. Satisfied that the young child she was tending to was occupied, Mika stood and faced Hiro.

"What is it?"

"I wanted to take Naruto to the park today. I was planning on coming back around four. Is that okay?"

"I don't see why not. Just don't be late," Mika said with a kind smile. Hiroko let out a wide grin before running off to find Naruto.

She searched the building, hoping to see a glimpse of wild, blonde hair. Finally, she made it to their shared room. She peeked in to see a yellow mop occupying the right side. Naruto had an open picture book sitting on his lap as he stared intently at the words on the page.

Hiro gave a light knock on the doorframe. Naruto's head whipped around as he snapped the book closed and unsuccessfully tried to shove it under a pillow. She tried to ignore the spine of the book sticking out from the not-so-fluffy pillow as she walked in.

"Hiro! Wha' 'ou doing here?" He asked. Naruto wasn't quite able to form his mouth around some syllables yet.

The girl's eyes twinkled with an excited look. "I have a surprise for you," she said with a slight hum in her tone. Naruto's eyes gained a similar gleam. "We're going to the park!"

The little boy let out a happy cry as he slid off the bed and literally jumped for joy. He ran out of the room, not waiting for Hiroko to follow him. Said girl gave a light laugh as she joined him. They soon left the building, stopping only a minute to inform the receptionist of their plans. The only response was a quick wave off and a sneer thrown at the little boy.

About a minute outside, Naruto turned his head towards Hiro with a question on his tongue. "Why di' she...?" The girl sighed.

"She just doesn't understand. Not many do," she said sadly. Seeing him even more confused, Hiroko added, "I'll tell you when you're older. It's hard for kids your age to understand. Most grownups don't understand."

Despite what many people thought, Naruto was very good at picking up on emotions. He just didn't know how to react well to what he sensed.

"Hey, Naruto?"

"'eah?"

"When I say it's time to leave, you'll listen, right?"

"'ure,"

"Good," Hiroko was painfully aware of the prejudice the boy faced. This would be one of those times that he would likely be bullied, for lack of better word. Children six and under were not allowed to leave the orphanage grounds without supervision by a child old enough or an adult. Even then, if the child was old enough, there was a curfew for 4:30 unless you were a genin or thirteen years of age. Typically, the children were given a bit of leeway on their return times, but Naruto... Naruto received I mercy from the caretakers. The only adult so far to show any kindness to him had been Mika. To avoid as many problems as necessary, Hiro always tried to bring Naruto back around 4 O'Clock.

Fifteen minutes later found the two at the park. Naruto giggled like excitedly as he pulled the older girl with him. Hiro followed him, letting his contagious enthusiasm infect her. She felt laughter bubble from her chest. They ran across the grassy field to the playground. Hiroko kept her steps small and controlled to compensate for the tiny boy beside her.

Kids' happy shrieks met their ears as they neared the mulched playground. Naruto let out a wide grin as he scrambled onto a swing, exclaiming, "Pus' me! Pus' me!"

"Okay," Hiro chuckled. She stepped behind him and placed her hands firmly on his lower back. "Hold on!" Naruto's fingers gripped the chains as she gave a mighty shove. He soared above the ground, letting out a whoop.

The eight-year-old continued to push the little boy, pausing only briefly to explain how to pump his legs and make swinging easier. This continued for a while, Naruto swinging while Hiroko pushed him.

"Naruto," She said to gain the boy's attention. He strained his neck, attempting to look at her as he moved through the air. "You know that I am entered in the Shinobi Academy, right?"

"'eah?"

"You also know that means I will be gone for a while most days." Naruto nodded, a little saddened. "I'm planning on leaving at 7:30 and coming back around 3:30. Just because I won't as often, doesn't mean we can't still spend time together." She tried to show him the silver lining.

"Tea' me?" He asked, a mischievous glimmer in his eyes. It took Hiro a second to realize what he meant.

"Sure! I'll take lots of notes so I can make sure we learn everything well! We'll learn and grow together. It starts tomorrow, so..."

Hiro was distracted by an older boy as he grabbed a swing a couple spaces down from them. The boy stood on the swing, picking up momentum. She noticed some kids-older than Naruto, younger than her-watching as the boy showed off. Once he was high enough, the boy jumped off the front in an attempt at a forward flip. Hiroko could tell already that he wouldn't make the full rotation to land properly.

As predicted, the boy landed on his bottom instead of his feet. He winced slightly before laughing sheepishly and scratching the side of his face. The kids watching turned away from him, more interested in playing. Hiro walked over to him.

"You shouldn't try that if you don't know that you can make it. You could have gotten really hurt." She said to him, her 'sister instincts' going off a little. Why it would for a boy she didn't know, she had no idea.

"You know, you can't really know if you can do something if you don't practice. There's always a chance of getting hurt, but you still have to try it." The boy tilted back his head to look at her. He had tanned skin, brown eyes, and brown spiky hair pulled back in a high ponytail. What really caught her attention, however, were the scar across his nose and the Konoha hitai-ate on his forehead.

"True…" she admitted, "but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be cautious."

The boy laughed. "Yeah, I guess you're right." He stood up, brushed the tanbark off, and grinned as he held out his hand. "I'm Iruka."

"Hiroko." She took the offered hand with a smile.

Something odd happened, however. When her skin came in contact, there was a flash in front of her eyes. Then an image appeared.

There was a boy who Hiro thought looked like Iruka, but it was dark. He was standing over the bodies of a man and a woman, crying.

The image faded as Iruka's hand released Hiro's. It didn't seem like he noticed anything different, so she resolved herself to not make a fuss. She would have to talk to someone about it later.

"Hey, how old are you?" The question caught Hiroko's attention. She mentally shook her head before answering.

"I'm eight,"

"Wow, really? You look and act older!" He said, surprised. She just nodded, smiling. "I'm thirteen."

Hiro gestured to the forehead protector. "You're a shinobi, right?"

"Yeah! I'm a genin, I graduated a couple years ago. Are you in the Academy or…?"

She gave a nod. "The first day starts tomorrow. I'm excited-"

Hiroko cut herself off when she felt a tug on her shirt hem. She looked down to see Naruto. He clearly wanted some attention. Hiro braced her legs as she picked up the kid. He happily wrapped his arms around her neck.

"Who's this?" Iruka asked, amusement shone on his face.

"This is Naruto. He's practically my brother."

A glimmer of fear appeared in his eyes as he asked, "Isn't he-"

"Don't!" Her single word held a sharp bite. The glare she sent warned him. '_Don't finish that question.'_ It said. He gulped quietly and tried to mask his fear.

"And how old are you?" He gave a not-quite-real smile while addressing the child.

Naruto held out hand, showing the correct number of fingers. "Three," Hiro supplied.

"T'- 'hree," he pouted as he stumbled around the _th. _Then his eyes lit up. "Tree!" The older two laughed, and Hiro was happy to note Iruka's laughter seemed genuine. "Hiro, play!"

"Okay, okay!" She chuckled.

"I should get going. I have training in a bit." Iruka told them.

"Alright. Maybe see you around?"

"Sure," he turned with wave and left the park.

Hiroko and Naruto went to the slide. She showed him how it worked briefly before letting the boy climb the ladder. Hiro stayed at the bottom, just to ensure there were no accidents. The two did go down together a couple times, though.

A little girl, just a bit older than Naruto walked up to him. "I pway?" She asked. Naruto nodded.

"Kita!" A woman-probably the girl's mother-called. "We have to go. Now." The girl groaned but listened anyways. As they left, Hiro heard the woman say, "Stay away from the boy." Hiroko bore a hole in the woman's back.

She looked at the clock nearby. They had to leave soon. "We should go too. We can come back another time."

Naruto gave her a sad expression, but didn't fight. He was happy that he got a chance to play, and couldn't wait for next time.

* * *

**Review! Any advice is greatly appreciated. Ideas are good, any grammar or spelling errors you catch are helpful. Possible future pairings are welcome, as well.**

**That's all!**


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